"Maybe… a very beautiful woman. With a sexy figure. Bust size above a D cup. A big, lifted hips. Over 185 centimeters tall. Wearing revealing clothes, a low neckline. Makeup that's just right, not too heavy. Long, flowing hair. And glasses, to make her look smart."
His words hung in the air like thin mist in a forest.
Lyra lowered her gaze, looking at her own body. She was only 160 centimeters tall, slim, without striking curves. Her synthetic skin was flawless, yet untouched by makeup. None of it matched Kaivan's description.
"Oh… so that's the kind of woman you like," she whispered, almost to herself.
After a brief pause, she asked again, even more softly,
"Then… what does it feel like to fall in love?"
Kaivan looked at her seriously this time. He fell silent.
Then a small, bitter laugh escaped his lips.
"I… don't remember anymore," he finally said.
He lifted his eyes to the vast night sky. His voice faded, as if speaking to distant memories.
"Maybe it feels like wanting to always be with someone who matters to you. Doing many things together. Eating, sleeping… even the most intimate things. But I think everyone has their own version of it."
The night wind swept through dried leaves, making them dance beneath the car's headlights. The narrow road was half-covered in snow and mud, yet the jeep's tires pushed forward steadily through the cold.
Lyra nodded slowly. Her gaze stayed fixed ahead, but something subtle shifted in her eyes. Before gripping the steering wheel again, her fingers paused over her chest—as if trying to understand the quiet disappointment born from wanting something she could never truly have.
"I want to try a few things with you, Kaivan," she said suddenly. Her voice was flat, yet it trembled at the end.
Kaivan turned to her, his eyebrows lifting. "A few things?"
"Yes," Lyra replied softly. "But… not in my current state."
Her right hand traced her body slowly, from her shoulder to her chest, down to her waist. The movement was gentle, yet filled with self-evaluation—as if weighing herself against someone else's expectations.
Kaivan let out a small laugh. It sounded tired, but he tried to keep it warm.
"Ha… I could help, you know. So, what do you want to try?"
Lyra's grip on the steering wheel tightened. Her eyes grew serious, and her voice carried an intensity that changed the atmosphere inside the car.
"Really? Thank you, Kaivan… if you're willing."
Silence filled the cabin. The air felt heavy, as if time itself had slowed.
Then Lyra spoke—her words shooting forward like silent bullets cutting through the cold.
"I want to know what it feels like… to kiss. Like Thivi. And… to make love, like Isabel."
The outside world vanished.
The jeep kept moving, but for Kaivan, everything stopped.
His gaze slowly shifted to Lyra. His eyes widened, caught between shock and disbelief.
"W-Where… where did you learn about that?" he whispered, his voice trembling as if afraid of the answer.
Lyra didn't respond right away. She kept her eyes on the long road ahead.
A dense pine forest now surrounded them, tall shadows swaying beneath the light of the supermoon. Her eyes reflected its glow—green and cold—yet deep within them pulsed something undefined.
Awareness…
Or perhaps, a newly born desire.In the depths of the Caucasus Mountains, beneath the darkest stretch of night, a heavy off-road vehicle moved forward at a slow, steady pace. Its headlights cut through the thin mist hanging in the air. The sound of its wheels crushing snow echoed heavily and rhythmically, signaling that it was nearing its destination.
Inside the vehicle, Kaivan and Lyra sat in silence. Their earlier conversation lingered like frozen smoke. Lyra did not answer Kaivan's question. She kept her eyes fixed on the road, both hands firm on the steering wheel. Only a faint smile on her lips stood out—unfamiliar, yet strangely captivating.
The silence lasted until a geometric shape appeared in the distance—a massive concrete bunker piercing the mountain slope, faint infrared lights glowing between the rocks. It looked like a secret base merged with nature itself. Kaivan felt a sense of relief, yet his chest remained tight—as if something was about to change that night.
The vehicle stopped before an automatic gate. Lyra stepped out at once. Her movements were quick and decisive. Her boots pressed into the snow with steady rhythm, marking a determination that could not be shaken. Kaivan followed more slowly, still staring at her back. His breath was heavy, his steps uncertain.
Lyra descended into the underground corridor. Each step echoed against metal and concrete walls, illuminated by blue light from the panels lining the passage. Advanced technology pulsed through the air: fiber-optic cables spread like roots, active holograms flickered, and the scent of metal mixed with antiseptic filled the space.
From a distance, Levan—a young man with neatly styled hair and an open lab jacket—walked by carrying a cup of coffee. His eyes caught Kaivan standing quietly at the doorway. He approached.
"Hey, what's going on?" he asked casually, patting Kaivan's shoulder. His playful tone could not hide the curiosity in his eyes.